Connection clamp



April 9, 1935. G uss I 1,997,091

CONNECTION CLAMP Filed May 4, 1932 lllli INVENTOR GEORGE L. USSELMAN ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1935 PATENT OFFICE I 1,997,091 CONNECTION CLAMP George L. Usselman, Port Jefferson, N. Y., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1932, Serial No. 609,165

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved connection clamp which is particularly adapted for use in connecting a vacuum tube lead such as to a bus bar of a radio transmitter.

An object of this invention is to simplify and reduce the manufacturing cost of an improved electrical connection clamp.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp for use in making rapid changes in circuit connection. This improved clamp will not bind, and will grip the wire with sumcient force to provide a good electrical contact.

The invention consists of an arrangement of parts as shown in the drawing, of which,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the improved connection clamp;

Fig. 2 is a section of the improved connection clamp;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the improved connection clamp;

Fig. 4 is a plan view in detail of the base clamping member or lower jaw, and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation in detail of the base clamping member or lower jaw.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this improved connection clamp comprises a base element I, of brass or any other suitable metal, which forms the lower jaw. The base element is provided with a center aperture 2 and a slot 3 which extends along the clamping surface and is located adjacent to the center aperture, the purpose of this slot being to form a recess for gripping the connection wire or wires to be connected in circuit to the bus bar 4. The base element I is secured to the bus bar 4 by riveting or soldering over the round shoulder portion 5 which tightly grips the metal of the bus bar. The aperture 5 in the bus bar 4 is provided with a countersunk portion in which the round shoulder portion 5 of the base element I is riveted. After the riveting of parts I and 5, the hammer marks and irregular edges are removed by finishing the surface in any suitable manner. An angle shaped metallic strip 6 forms the other clamping mem- 0 her or upper jaw, and is provided with an aperture I through which a suitable metallic stud 8 is forced. To prevent the stud 8 from turning in the aperture 1, the stud is provided with a knurled portion 9 and may be further secured by soldering at a point It}. The stud 8 is threaded with a comparatively fine thread as indicated at H, to receive the knurled thumb nut I2. The thumb nut I2 has a recessed portion I3 which is provided to prevent the nut from coming off and becoming detached. Within this recessed pornection wire ll.

tion i3 a washer M is secured by means of a screw I5.

In the operation of this improved connection clamp the space "5 between the jaws 3 and 6 is altered by turning the knurled nut I2 on the stud 8 until there is a sufficient space to grip the con- The jaw 6 is arranged to prevent rotation by having one leg of the angle resting against the flat side I8 of the base I. If desired, a suitable spring may be interposed between the surfaces 3 and I9 to automatically open the jaws when the thumb nut I2 is turned.

As will be readily seen, the parts of this improved connection clamp are easy to assemble and simple to manufacture, which will result in a preferred and low cost connection device.

Although this invention has been described and illustrated as embodied in a particular and preferred form, it is apparent that other modifications in its construction may be varied in order to obtain the desired results, and yet retaining the fundamental principles of this device within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved electrical connection clamp comprising in combination a fixed base element, having a clamping surface, a center aperture and a slot extending along the clamping surface of said base element, a movable angle shaped clamping member arranged to prevent rotation around 0 said base element, a stud passing through the aperture of said base element for applying pressure and clamping connection leads, a thumb nut for cooperating with said stud to apply a viselike grip on said connectionleads, and a washer and a screw fastened to said stud to act as retaining means to prevent the nut from becoming detached.

2. An improved electrical connection clamp comprising in combination a fixed base element, having a clamping surface, a center apertureand a slot extending along the clamping surface of said base element, a movable angle shaped clamping member arranged to prevent rotation around said base element, a stud secured to said angle shaped clamping member, said stud passing through the aperture of said base element for applying pressure and clamping connection leads, a thumb nut for cooperating with said stud to apply a vise-like grip on said connection leads, and a washer and a screw fastened to said stud to act as retaining means to prevent the nut 9 from becoming detached.

GEORGE L. USSELMAN. 

